Is DV DV? Camcorder as playback deck at DVinfo.net

Jeff Farris · July 8th, 2003, 10:48 AM

Not that my limited use of either my XL-1 or PDX-10 would ever tax the the drive mechanisms, but I just was contemplating buying a playback deck to save the wear and tear on the transports. I have also read here and elsewhere of people buying cheap DV camcorders for this job. What's the scoop, oh knowledgeble ones? If I play back tape recorded with an XL-1 on a crappy little ZR-50 (or similar), will there be any difference from playing it back on the XL-1 or a playback deck? That would be considerably cheaper than the deck options I have seen.

Scott Burbank · July 8th, 2003, 11:28 AM

No. the picture quality will not be efffected if played back on a cheap dv camera.

Lorinda Norton · July 8th, 2003, 11:32 AM

Sorry, Jeff, no answers. I confess I'm replying here to get notification when the great answers start pouring in!

We bought a JVC deck that didn't work out--even playback to a monitor looked bad. Other people's tapes looked good, so fingers are pointing to our cameras as the culprits, but can two of them have misalignments?

The only deck that played our tapes okay was a Sony (didn't catch a model). I can't afford $2000.

Thanks for letting me tag along.

Glen Elliott · July 8th, 2003, 12:52 PM

Both my friends XL-1S and my DVX100 footage play fine out of the cheapo Sharp Viewcam mini-DV camera. I'm going to pick one up for use as a deck- the best part...it's only $350.

Jeff Donald · July 8th, 2003, 04:46 PM

Do a search and read some of my posts on error correction. Tape path alignment, or misalignment can be the culprit. If many tapes play back OK, then you're correct in suspecting your camera as the cause of the poor quality playback. A camera can't be out of align with itself, only other playback devices.

Jeff Farris · July 8th, 2003, 04:57 PM

Lorinda, I am not a moderator, nor do I play one on TV, and you most certainly are welcome to join this thread, but I thought I would point something out to you. At the end of each thread page there is a button you can hit to get e-mails about new posts in a thread, without actually posting to the thread.

Makes it easy to keep track of topics in which you have an interest.

Lorinda Norton · July 8th, 2003, 05:04 PM

Jeff Farris: By golly, there IS a button down there! Sorry for the intrusion, and I hope my question didn't throw this thread too far off-topic.

Jeff Donald: I'll search for the posts you suggested (I do know about THAT button). Thanks so much.

Jeff Farris · July 8th, 2003, 05:17 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Lorinda ... Sorry for the intrusion, and I hope my question didn't throw this thread too far off-topic... -->>>

No intrusion. Nothing to be sorry for, I just thought you might like to know for the next time something you want to keep track of comes up.

Gints Klimanis · July 8th, 2003, 05:25 PM

I would suspect that the cheaper camcorders would have lower quality analog output circuitry. Some TVs (Mitsubishi) have
a Firewire input.

Jeff Donald · July 8th, 2003, 08:05 PM

The D/A and A/D convertors are generally of lower quality. But for straight digital the quality of the playback camera is not limiting factor.

Jeff Farris · July 8th, 2003, 08:19 PM

Thanks, Jeff. That is what I wanted to hear. eBay, here I come ;^)

Bud Kuenzli · July 9th, 2003, 08:12 AM

a good deck is mostly a matter of convenience. The forward and rewind are faster and they are made for the job. A camera is made to play and record and the forward and rewind are slow to engage and their action is slower than a deck. The resulting video, however, is the same. There is also less chance that a deck will eat a tape since the mechanism is made more robustly. There are decks under $1000 so I'm finally in the process of getting one myself.

July 8th, 2003, 10:48 AM	#1
Jeff Farris Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 102	Is DV DV? Camcorder as playback deck Not that my limited use of either my XL-1 or PDX-10 would ever tax the the drive mechanisms, but I just was contemplating buying a playback deck to save the wear and tear on the transports. I have also read here and elsewhere of people buying cheap DV camcorders for this job. What's the scoop, oh knowledgeble ones? If I play back tape recorded with an XL-1 on a crappy little ZR-50 (or similar), will there be any difference from playing it back on the XL-1 or a playback deck? That would be considerably cheaper than the deck options I have seen. __________________ Jeff Farris

July 8th, 2003, 11:32 AM	#3
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Sorry, Jeff, no answers. I confess I'm replying here to get notification when the great answers start pouring in! We bought a JVC deck that didn't work out--even playback to a monitor looked bad. Other people's tapes looked good, so fingers are pointing to our cameras as the culprits, but can two of them have misalignments? The only deck that played our tapes okay was a Sony (didn't catch a model). I can't afford $2000. Thanks for letting me tag along. __________________ Lorinda

July 8th, 2003, 04:46 PM	#5
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Do a search and read some of my posts on error correction. Tape path alignment, or misalignment can be the culprit. If many tapes play back OK, then you're correct in suspecting your camera as the cause of the poor quality playback. A camera can't be out of align with itself, only other playback devices. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 8th, 2003, 04:57 PM	#6
Jeff Farris Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 102	receiving notice Lorinda, I am not a moderator, nor do I play one on TV, and you most certainly are welcome to join this thread, but I thought I would point something out to you. At the end of each thread page there is a button you can hit to get e-mails about new posts in a thread, without actually posting to the thread. Makes it easy to keep track of topics in which you have an interest. __________________ Jeff Farris

July 8th, 2003, 05:04 PM	#7
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Jeff Farris: By golly, there IS a button down there! Sorry for the intrusion, and I hope my question didn't throw this thread too far off-topic. Jeff Donald: I'll search for the posts you suggested (I do know about THAT button). Thanks so much. __________________ Lorinda

July 8th, 2003, 11:28 AM	#2
Scott Burbank Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Burnaby, B.C. Canada Posts: 50	No. the picture quality will not be efffected if played back on a cheap dv camera.

July 8th, 2003, 12:52 PM	#4
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	Both my friends XL-1S and my DVX100 footage play fine out of the cheapo Sharp Viewcam mini-DV camera. I'm going to pick one up for use as a deck- the best part...it's only $350.

July 8th, 2003, 05:17 PM	#8
Jeff Farris Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 102	<<<-- Originally posted by Lorinda ... Sorry for the intrusion, and I hope my question didn't throw this thread too far off-topic... -->>> No intrusion. Nothing to be sorry for, I just thought you might like to know for the next time something you want to keep track of comes up. __________________ Jeff Farris

July 8th, 2003, 05:25 PM	#9
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	I would suspect that the cheaper camcorders would have lower quality analog output circuitry. Some TVs (Mitsubishi) have a Firewire input.

July 8th, 2003, 08:05 PM	#10
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	The D/A and A/D convertors are generally of lower quality. But for straight digital the quality of the playback camera is not limiting factor. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 8th, 2003, 08:19 PM	#11
Jeff Farris Regular Crew Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 102	Thanks, Jeff. That is what I wanted to hear. eBay, here I come ;^) __________________ Jeff Farris

July 9th, 2003, 08:12 AM	#12
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	just convenience a good deck is mostly a matter of convenience. The forward and rewind are faster and they are made for the job. A camera is made to play and record and the forward and rewind are slow to engage and their action is slower than a deck. The resulting video, however, is the same. There is also less chance that a deck will eat a tape since the mechanism is made more robustly. There are decks under $1000 so I'm finally in the process of getting one myself. __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are